Fruit-drier



S. COLLINS.

(No Model.)

FRUIT DRIER:

- Patented May 26, 1885.

IA VEATOR.

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STEPHEN COLLINS, OF HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA.

FRUIT-DRIER.

forming part of Letters Patent No. 318,543, dated May 26, 1885.

Application filed December 5, 1884. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, STEPHEN COLLINS, of the city of Huntsville, in thecounty of Madison and State of Alabama, have invented cer tain new anduseful Improvements in Fruit- Driers, of which the following is aspecification.

The object of my said invention is to produce a device for drying fruit,vegetables, and such articles as are usually cured in this manner forpreservation which shall be of a cheap yet efficient construction, andcapable of having its capacity adjusted to suit the wants of the user.The device by which I accomplish this object consists of an appropriatefire-place or furnace as a base and a drying-chamber mounted thereoncomposed of independent sections, each of which is provided withascetion of pipe, which is arranged to form, together with similarpipe-sections in the other sections and a flange on the top of thefurnace, a continuous flue up through the drying-chamber, thuspermitting the addition or removal of sections when it is desired toincrease or diminish the capacity of the device without changing itsconstruction or impairing its ope "ation, as will be hereinafter morefully described.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof,and on which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts, Figurel is a front elevation of my said invention; Fig. 2, a central verticalsection through the device, and Fig. 3 a perspective view of one of thesections of the dryingchamber.

In said drawings, the portions marked A represent the furnace; B, theseveral sections of the drying-chamber; G, the top or cover to saiddrying-chamber; G, a ventilator thereon, and D a joint of pipeconnecting with said ventilator and the pipe which runs up through thedryingchamber.

The furnace A is preferably of cylindrical form, constructed ofsheet-iron or other suitable material, and of a size appropriate for thesize of evaporator desired. It is provided with a top, A, which formsthe bottom or floor of the drying-chamber, which I usually cover with aninch or two of dry dirt, A, in order to equalize and prevent excessiveheat.

I In the center of this top is provided an opening, and a flange orshort section of pipe, (4, is riveted around its edge, extending upasufficicnt distance to connect with the section or joint of pipe in thelower section, B, of the drying-chamber, as shown. The top edge of thewall of furnace extends up beyond its top A for a short distance, and isslightly ensmalled and formed into a flange, which is adapted to beinserted within the lower flange of the bottom section, B, as will bepresently more fully described.

The sections 13 of the drying-chamber are provided with an open floor,B, on which the articles to be dried may be laid. Said floor may beformed of wire-netting, as shown, of perforated sheet metal, or anyother suitable material. In its center each section is provided with asection orjoint of pipe, Z), which extends below the floor a sufficientdistance to join with a similar joint in the chamber-section immediatelybelow, or, in the case of the bottom section, with the flange c, whichsurrounds the opening in the top of the furnace, and above said floor asufficient distance to join with a similar joint in the chamber -sectionimmediately above, the ends of the severaljoints of pipe being constructed to connect in the same manner as are those of ordinary stovepipe. The walls of the several chamber-sections are also constructed inasimilar manner, the portion above its floor being ensmalled and adaptedto be inserted within the next section above, the lower section fittingonto the top of the furnace, which is formed in the same manner asbefore described. These sections are of the proper height, so that thefloors shall he the required distance apart. There may be as many ofthese sections as are necessary to make the apparatus of the desiredcapacity, as will be readily understood. Each section is preferablyprovided with handles 1), as shown, by which it may be convenientlyhandled. The cover or top 0 is conical in shape, and has a flange, 0,extending down around its edge, which is adapted to fit around the topof the drying-chamber loosely. Lugs c are preferably formcd on theinside of said flange to keep an open space between said flange and thewall of the drying-chamber, through which any moisture which gathers onthe inside of said cover may escape. It, is also provided with handles0, for convenience in handling.

The ventilator G is of an ordinary and wellknown construction for thepurpose, and is mounted on the cover around a central hole therein. Thejoint of pipe D is adapted to fit onto thejoint b in the top section, B,and extends up into the ventilator O on the cover, thus forming acontinuous flue up from the furnace through the center of thedrying-chamher to the ventilator.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The several parts are putin place, the articles to be dried being placed within thedryingchamber. The fire is then started in the furnace. The heat passesup through the top of the furnace, which is preferably provided with alayer of dry dirt or similar substance to modify and equalize the heatas before described, and into the drying chamber, passing up through theseveral sections to the top. The steam and products of evaporation areallowed to pass out around the pipe D into the ventilator, and pass offwith the smoke, while the moisture which gathers on the inside of thecover is allowed to escape through the open space between said cover andthe top of the drying chamber, as before described. The heat whichpasses up into the flue also passes out into the drying-chamber throughthe walls of said flue, and nearly all the heat is thus utilized.

As will be readily understood, the apparatus may be made of varioussizes, and, as before stated, the drying-chamber may be composed of asmany sections as desired.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An evaporating or fruit-drying apparatus consisting of a furnace anda dryingchamber, said dryingchamber being composed of removablesections, each section being provided with a portion of the smoke-pipe,each of which engages directly with the other portions, whereby acontinuous pipe is provided, substantially as set forth.

2. An evaporating apparatus consisting of the furnace A, having a topconsisting ofa portion, A, having a layer of dirt, A therein, and adrying-chamber composed of sections B, mounted on said furnace, each ofsaid sections having an open or perforated floor, B, substantially asset forth.

3. The combination of the furnace A, having top A, with flange a,mounted thereon, drying-chamber composed of the sections B, arranged oneon top of another, joints of pipe I), one secured in each portion B, andthe cover 0, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of the furnace A, drying-cha1nber composed ofsections B, mounted one on top of another, the joints of pipe I), onesecured in each section and connecting With each other, the lower one ofwhich connects with the flange a on the top of the furnace, the cover 0,mounted on the top of said drying-chamber with an opening between saidcover and said top, the ventilator G, and the joint of pipe D, mountedon the top of the joint I), and extending up into the ventilator,substantially as described, and for the purposes specified.

In witnesses whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, atOlarksville, Tennessee, this 29th day of November, A. D. 188%.

STEPHEN COLLINS. [L. s.]

In presence of- XVnsmav DRANE, ED. S. MUNFORD.

